Display rack for belts



DISPLAY RACK FOR BELTS Filed June 15, 1940 o g y J0 o i /herzo/f: Wade @fw/Mmm Patented June 17, 194i 2,246,081 DISPLAY RACK Fon BELTS rverle Van Nattan, Denver,'Colo., assgnor to The Gates Rubber Company, Denver, Colo., a corporation of Colorado Appear-.inname 15,1940, seriarNo. 340,713

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in display racks adapted in particular for use .in connection with the ydisplay of endless belts.`

Merchants dealing in endless belts, of diierent kinds, especially belts of. the type usually referred to vas fan belts, find it is vdesirable to have a convenient rack for supporting the belts for the purpose of display, and which is so constructed that the selection of a belt of the desired size can easily be eifected.

It is an object of this invention to produce a display rack of such construction that each belt can be supported independently in such a manner that it can be readily viewed and removed without disturbing any other belt on the rack.

Another object of this invention is to produce a belt rack of a simple and substantial construction that can be manufactured at a comparatively small price and which can be folded into a compact package for shipment and which can readily be unfolded and erected in the desired place.

In order to describe this invention in such a manner that it can be readily understood reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing in which the invention has been illustrated and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of a rack constructed in accordance with this invention, parts of the rack being broken away to facilitate illustration; Y

Figure 2 is a detailed view showing two of the belt supporting hooks separated from the rack.

Figure 3 is a side elevation looking in the direc tion of arrow 3 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a rear elevation looking in the direction of arrow 4 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side elevation showing a portion of the rack, said elevation being taken along line 5--5, Fig. l.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Figure 5, looking in the direction of arrow B.

In the drawing reference numeral l0 designates the front side of a base whose two end members have been designated by reference numerals Il and l2. Pivotally connected with the free ends of end members ll and l2 are two vertical frame members i3 and Ei. The pivots by which the vertical frame members are attached to the base have been designated by reference numeral I5. A rod It extends between the vertical frame members and serves to hold them in spaced relation. Other rods i3 connect the vertical frame members at spaced points as designated on the drawing.

-H yandfl2 with the framemembers i3 andv L4.

The lower ends of toggles I8 are connected with the ends H and I'Zby, means of pivots'l'and the upperends of toggles Il` are.r connectedfwith the vertical frame members ,bygme'ansu of ,rivets 25. The two toggle members are pivoted at 2l and the upper ends of toggle members I8 are provided with notches 22 for the reception of pins 23 carried by the members Il. When the toggles are in the position shown in Figures 1 and 5, they slightly over-set and will hold the frame members positively in a pre-determined position. Diagonal brass rods 24 serve to hold the vertical frame members from transverse movement. A sheet metal plate 25 extends between the vertical frame members near their tops and is carried by the two upper transverse rods I6. The transversely extending rod 28 is spot welded to the front edges of the vertical frame members and serves as a rest or stop for the two arms 2 that are plvoted to the vertical frame members at points 28. A rod 29 is spot Welded to the upper corners of. arms 2l and this serves as a support for a number of supporting hooks that will now be described.

Before proceeding further,. attention will be called to the fact that the assembly formed by arms 2l and the rod 23 can be folded upwardly between the side members and by breaking the toggles, the base can be folded upwardly into a position parallel with the vertical frame members. Although only one supporting rod 29 has been shown, it is to be understood that as many of the assemblies illustrated by arms 2l and rod 29 can be employed as may be desirable but since the invention does not depend on the number employed, only one has been shown.

Rod 29 carries a plurality of supporting elements comprising each a hook having a downwardly extending side 33 which terminates in a horizontal part 3| and this in turn terminates n a vertical portion 32. The part 30 of the hook is outwardly bowed as indicated in 33 and formed into a U-shaped reverse bend whose base has been designated by reference number 34. The parallel portions of the U-shaped member are curved about the bar 23 and the hook is secured in place to the bar by means of a sheet metal.

therefore serve to hold the paper tag against accidental removal.

The supporting hooks are assembled on the rod in the manner shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6 and they can each pivot about the rod 29. Vhen the supporting members are in place the upwardly extending portions 32 of the hooks project close to the surface of the vertical portions 30 with the result that nothing can be inserted or removed unless the hook, from which a belt or other article is to be removed, is rst rotated into a position corresponding to the dotted line position shown in Figure 3.

It will be observed that when a belt like that indicated by reference numeral 31 is supported from any one of the hooks it will hang with its plane perpendicular to the bar 29 and therefore it takes up Very little space in the direction of the axis or rod 29. This method of support makes it possible to quickly remove any belt and to replace it with another one, andfalso makes it lconvenient to inspect the belt for the purpose of determining its size and other characteristics.

Where a large number of belts are to be displayed a plurality of vertically spaced supports ycan be provided, each one having arms 21 that ends bent reversely into the shape of an inverted U, one side being longer than the other, the two sides having each a recess for the reception of l the rod, a member attached to the spaced sides to close the open sides of the recesses to enclose v the rod, lthe lower end of the longer side having a lateral extension forming a support for belts, said extension projecting substantially parallel with the axis of the rod, the end of the lateral extension terminating adjacent the lower end of the longer side of the adjacent hook which forms a closure-therefor, the hooks being pivotally movable to'apply and remove belts therefrom.

VERLE VAN NATTAN. 

